OtherOther Economy

Osusky Calls on Government to Cut Off Relations With Belarus

Minsk/Bratislava, December 21 (TASR) - Most-Hid MP Peter Osusky, who took part in the presidential election last week in Belarus as an OSCE observer, on Tuesday called on the Slovak Government to cut off relations with this country's administration. Speaking at a press conference, Osusky (a member of the Civil Conservative Party/OKS) described the way the Sunday's Belarus… read more

INEKO: Christmas Bonus for Pensioners a Huge Mistake

Bratislava, December 21 (TASR) - Publishing of state contracts on the internet along with mandatory e-auctions applied at most public tenders turned out to be the most beneficial steps of the current Government in 3Q10; on the contrary, paying the Christmas bonus to pensioners was the worst. These are some of the conclusions drawn in the 'Evaluation of Economic and Social… read more

FinMin Reduces Prognosed Inflation in 2011 to 3.3 percent

Bratislava, December 21 (TASR) - The Finance Ministry's Financial Policy Institute (IFP) on Tuesday announced that it reduced the figure of the prognosed inflation in 2011 from 3.7 percent to 3.3 percent. The main reason for the reduction is the recent decision made by the Office for Regulation of Network Industries (URSO) on the prices of energy for households, the shipwreck… read more

Nagy Files Complaint Against Representatives of Interblue Group

Bratislava, December 21 (TASR) - Environment Minister Jozsef Nagy (Most-Hid) on Tuesday filed a criminal complaint against representatives of the shady US-based Interblue Group over suspicions of committing a fraud. In 2008, the Interblue Group bought 15 million tonnes of Slovakia's emission quotas for €75 million, at a rate of €5.05 per tonne. The then Opposition… read more

Lipsic: Whistleblowers Should Be Financially Rewarded

Bratislava, December 21 (TASR) - Whistleblowers that help uncover corruption or other criminal activities should be rewarded, Interior Minister Daniel Lipsic said on Tuesday at the Office for Fight Against Corruption. He also added that he had allocated €1 million for the office to purchase new equipment designed to expose and monitor criminal activities. "We're… read more

Parliament Overrules Gasparovic\'s Veto of 80-percent Emission Tax

Bratislava, December 21 (TASR) - Parliament on Tuesday overruled President Ivan Gasparovic's veto to the act on income taxes, which does away with several exemptions in taxation and introduces 80-percent tax for surplus emissions in 2011 and 2012. As many as 77 of the 79 MPs present at the extraordinary parliamentary session voted for the bill, with opposition Slovak… read more

Honeywell Planning to Invest €38.3 million in Presov, Creating 446 Jobs

Bratislava, December 21 (TASR) - U.S. company Honeywell International has submitted an official investment intention to the Economy Ministry, TASR was informed by the ministry on Tuesday. Honeywell wants to built a new assembly plant for producing turbochargers in Presov, and plans to create about 446 jobs in the process. The overall investment should reach €38.3 million.… read more

President Signs Amendment Scrapping Advantages for Megacasino

Bratislava, December 21 (TASR) - President Ivan Gasparovic on Tuesday signed an amendment to the Gaming Act, according to which the developers of the megacasino project on the outskirts of Bratislava will lose the advantages legislated by the former government of Robert Fico (Smer-SD). According to the amendment, the special category of "casino in a recreational complex"… read more

President Again Refuses to Sign Law on Merger of Public TV and Radio

Bratislava, December 15 (TASR) - President Ivan Gasparovic has again refused to sign a law on merging public-service Slovak Television (STV) and Slovak Radio (SRo) that was re-approved by Parliament last week after having been vetoed by Gasparovic already. Notwithstanding the absence of the president's signature, the law will come into effect on January 1, 2011. The initiative,… read more

President Signs Law Abolishing Unlimited Guarantee of Savings

Bratislava, December 21 (TASR) - President Ivan Gasparovic on Tuesday signed the law abolishing the scheme of unlimited guarantee of savings on bank deposits for members of the public, NGOs and smaller firms – now, in keeping with new EU rules, the limit is set at €100,000. Parliament passed the law on December 8. The protection of bank deposits in full was introduced… read more

Household Electricity Prices to Rise by 4.8 percent

Bratislava, December 21 (TASR) - The end price of electricity for households should increase by 4.82 percent on average in the year 2011, as decided by the Office for Regulation of Network Industries (URSO). read more

Prime Minister Opens \'Caricatures and Jazz\' Expo at Gov\'t Office

Bratislava, December 20 (TASR) - Prime Minister Iveta Radicova has opened an exhibition of music-themed caricatures entitled 'Caricatures and Jazz' on Monday at Government Office in Bratislava. The display features works of nine cartoonists from Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Germany and Bulgaria, with the Prime Minister emphasising that the selection was not random. "Caricatures… read more

PMU €9-Million Fine on Slovnaft Over Discrimination to Be Appealed

Bratislava, December 20 (TASR) - The Anti-Monopoly Office's (PMU) imposed a fine of more than €9 million on oil refinery Slovnaft on December 15 over discrimination detected during its wholesaling of fuel in Slovakia, TASR learned from PMU spokesman Vladimir Ferko. PMU has found that Slovnaft charged its clients on an individual basis in 2005-06 for diesel and in 2006… read more

Mihal: Government to Discuss Labour Code Proposal in April 2011

Bratislava, December 20 (TASR) - The Government is likely to discuss the so-called major amendment to the Labour Code in April, Labour Minister Jozef Mihal (Freedom and Solidarity/SaS) said at a press conference held after the Slovak Economic and Social Council (tripartite of labour, business and government) met on Monday. "A complete Labour Code proposal should be drafted… read more

Belousovova: Slota Wants to Expel Me from SNS Because He\'s Afraid

Bratislava, December 20 (TASR) - Slovak National Party (SNS) chairman Jan Slota is considering expelling me from the party because he's afraid of political competition from me, but he can't avoid this, said former SNS vice-chair Anna Belousovova on Monday. Belousovova was reacting to Slota's statements for TASR made on the same day. He said that Belousovova should have… read more